Battelle Memorial Institute

Genifuel Corporation

Other

Uop Lcc

Gas Research Institute

Douglas Charles Elliott

Todd R Hart

Gary G Neuenschwander

Eddie G Baker

L John Sealock, Jr

Yong Wang

Jianli Hu

James R Oyler

John G Frye

Alan H Zacher

Chunshe J Cao

Richard T Hallen

Andrew J Schmidt

Timothy A Brandvold

Todd A Werpy

James F White

Xiaohong Shari Li

Michael J McCall

Robert A Dagle

Jamelyn D Holladay

Robert Scott Butner

Don J Stevens

John L Sealock

Leslie J Rotness, Jr

A combined hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG) system and process are described that convert various biomass-containing sources into separable bio-oils and aqueous effluents that contain residual organics. Bio-oils may be converted to useful bio-based fuels and other chemical feedstocks. Residual organics in HTL aqueous effluents may be gasified and converted into medium-BTU product gases and directly used for process heating or to provide energy.

Combined hydrothermal liquefaction and catalytic hydrothermal gasification system and process for conversion of biomass feedstocks

Embodiments of a method for producing bio-oil include hydrothermal liquefaction of a biomass (e.g., a lignocellulosic biomass) feedstock to provide a process stream comprising crude oil and an aqueous fraction. The process stream is catalytically upgraded by contact with a sulfided-ruthenium catalyst, in the absence of added hydrogen, at a temperature and pressure effective to reduce an oxygen content of the crude oil, reduce a nitrogen content of the crude oil, reduce a total acid number of the crude oil, increase a H:C mole ratio of the crude oil, reduce a density of the crude oil, reduce a moisture content of the crude oil, reduce viscosity of the crude oil, or any combination thereof, thereby producing an upgraded oil and an upgraded aqueous fraction, which are subsequently separated. The catalytic upgrading process may be a plug-flow process and/or may be performed at or near liquefaction conditions.

Catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction for bio-oil production

A system and process are described for clean separation of biocrudes and water by-products from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) product mixtures of organic and biomass-containing feedstocks at elevated temperatures and pressures. Inorganic compound solids are removed prior to separation of biocrude and water by-product fractions to minimize formation of emulsions that impede separation. Separation may be performed at higher temperatures that reduce heat loss and need to cool product mixtures to ambient. The present invention thus achieves separation efficiencies not achieved in conventional HTL processing.

System and process for efficient separation of biocrudes and water in a hydrothermal liquefaction system

Processing of wet biomass feedstock by liquid-phase catalytic hydrothermal gasification must address catalyst fouling and poisoning. One solution can involve heating the wet biomass with a heating unit to a pre-treatment temperature sufficient for organic constituents in the feedstock to decompose, for precipitates of inorganic wastes to form, for preheating the wet feedstock in preparation for subsequent removal of soluble sulfate contaminants, or combinations thereof. Processing further includes reacting the soluble sulfate contaminants with cations present in the feedstock material to yield a sulfate-containing precipitate and separating the inorganic precipitates and/or the sulfate-containing precipitates out of the wet feedstock. Having removed much of the inorganic wastes and the sulfate contaminants that can cause poisoning and fouling, the wet biomass feedstock can be exposed to the heterogeneous catalyst for gasification.

Methods for sulfate removal in liquid-phase catalytic hydrothermal gasification of biomass

A process for the conversion of biomass derived pyrolysis oil to liquid fuel components is presented. The process includes the production of diesel, aviation, and naphtha boiling point range fuels or fuel blending components by two-stage deoxygenation of the pyrolysis oil and separation of the products.

Fuel and fuel blending components from biomass derived pyrolysis oil

Continuous processing of wet biomass feedstock by catalytic hydrothermal gasification must address catalyst fouling and poisoning. One solution can involve heating the wet biomass with a heating unit to a temperature sufficient for organic constituents in the feedstock to decompose, for precipitates of inorganic wastes to form, for preheating the wet feedstock in preparation for subsequent separation of sulfur contaminants, or combinations thereof. Treatment further includes separating the precipitates out of the wet feedstock, removing sulfur contaminants, or both using a solids separation unit and a sulfur separation unit, respectively. Having removed much of the inorganic wastes and the sulfur that can cause poisoning and fouling, the wet biomass feedstock can be exposed to the heterogeneous catalyst for gasification.

Methods and apparatus for catalytic hydrothermal gasification of biomass

Novel methods of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are described. It has been discovered that conducting the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over a catalyst with a catalytically active surface layer of 35 microns or less results in a liquid hydrocarbon product with a high ratio of C-C:C. Descriptions of novel Fischer-Tropsch catalysts and reactors are also provided. Novel hydrocarbon compositions with a high ratio of C-C:Care also described.

Tailored fischer-tropsch synthesis product distribution

The invention provides palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of bio-oils and certain organic compounds. Experimental results have shown unexpected and superior results for palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of organic compounds typically found in bio-oils.

Palladium catalyzed hydrogenation of bio-oils and organic compounds

Methods for producing alcohols from CO or COand Hutilizing a palladium-zinc on alumina catalyst are described. Methods of synthesizing alcohols over various catalysts in microchannels are also described. Ethanol, higher alcohols, and other Coxygenates can produced utilizing Rh&#x2014;Mn or a Fisher-Tropsch catalyst.

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A process for converting lactose into polyols that includes (a) hydrolyzing lactose to produce a hydrolyzate that includes at least one monosaccharide, (b) subsequently hydrogenating the hydrolyzate to produce an alditol-containing intermediate composition, and (c) hydrogenolyzing the alditol-containing intermediate composition to produce at least one polyol.

Growing community of inventors

Richland, WA, United States of America

Douglas Charles Elliott